System For Preventing The Tampering And Re-Packaging Of Containers Made From Glass, Plastic Or Other Materials

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made from glass, plastic or other materials, taking the form of a device having a double wall of glass and a series of mechanisms ensuring that the double wall is stained at the moment the bottle is opened. The main advantage of the device is that since the ink is released inside a double wall of glass, the person can see in real time if the bottle is from the company, without opening the bottle and prior to consuming the product contained therein. An additional advantage is that the ink is totally isolated from the product by means of one of the glass walls, such that the composition of the product is not altered by the components of the security ink.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists in a device and a system for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material with the ability to damage the bottle so it cannot be reused or tampered by unscrupulous hands. The safety mechanism, pours an indelible ink inside the bottle when this is opened. The bottle has a capillary type double wall, such that the ink poured inside this double layer works to inform that the bottle has been opened and used, such that to remove the stain the only solution is to break the bottle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has its application in the field of the devices designed to contain liquids and more specifically in the industry dedicated to the manufacture of containers for food, drugs, and in general products contained in plastic or glass containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A problem raising in many countries is the adulteration, tampering and re-packaging of packaged substances such as drugs, kitchen oils, alcoholic beverages and the like. This activity not only features economic problems for the manufacturing companies, but it features risks for the human health since this activity is made without any kind of hygiene control which can lead to multiple health problems, loss of capabilities and even death.

The people dedicated to this illegal activity, have to use the packages already disposed by the customers since manufacturing a package totally identic to the original of the company is extremely expensive, which is not profitable even more when it is known that since their product is illegal they have to sell it at a very low price.

In the state of the art there are products to inform when a container has been opened. Thus, for example, the Colombian patent application No. 03/106532, refers to a closure with tamper evidence comprising a housing containing a package of substrate ampoule, wherein the ampoule package contains a first reactant which is visible before a first opening and the substrate contains a second reactant, and wherein the first opening of the closure breaks the ampoule package exposing thereby the first reactant to the second reactant and effecting a reaction which originates a visual change indicating that the closure has been opened.

On the other hand, the United States patent application No. US2007262042 teaches an apparatus and a method for preventing the tampering or the substitution of beverages disposed in necked bottles. The apparatus comprises the use of a retention valve on the neck of the bottle, protected from manipulation or tampering through the use of a breakable deposit containing a colorant innocuous to stain the beverage in case of undue manipulation. The application also contemplates the method for preventing the tampering or substitution of beverages, including the steps of manufacturing the apparatus, filling the bottle with the beverage, and inserting the apparatus to prevent the tampering or substitution in the neck of the bottle. In addition, it is contemplated the advertising associated with the teaching of use of the device.

As can be seen, in the state of the art there is no device of difficult manufacture to inform the user about a possible tampering or content of a plastic or glass container, wherein the ink is in an inaccessible place avoiding thereby that it can be washed with acids or caustic soda and wherein the ink is not mixed with the content of the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been designed in order to solve the problems associated with the manipulation and tampering of plastic or glass containers disposed to contain liquids. On one hand, the safety mechanism stains the glass of the bottle leaving it unused, such that the adulterators would need to replace the entire mechanism which is expensive since there are just a few companies having the technology for the manufacturing of bottles. The above implies that once the bottle has been used, the ink will stay inside the glass in an inaccessible place avoiding thereby that it is washed with acids or caustic soda, such that the only way to clean the stain is by breaking the bottle.

On the other hand, the double wall mechanism used prevents the contamination or mixture of the liquid contained with the safety ink. It has been found that even when the inks are innocuous, these can be decanted inside the container, which is not suitable from the hygienic and aesthetic point of view.

The invention has a device leading the ink to a double wall chamber made of glass once the cap has been opened. This device can comprise one, two or more capillaries disposed around the double wall chamber. Similarly, a device with a circular capillary and curved capillaries has been developed, all of these are embodiments of the present invention.

The device of the present invention comprises a mechanism developed to be coupled to the nozzle of containers made of glass, plastic or other material. In this case, the cap of the container is modified by inserting an ink ampoule, a system to press the ampoule, one or more capillaries and some safety and sealing elements.

The thread of the cap is formed on a tubular piece, this piece seals the device from its outer part, forming thereby a first safety seal. In the nozzle of the bottle a second tube is couple which forms the inner safety seal of the device. The two seals are arranged in a concentric manner leaving a space therebetween, in which the ink ampoule is located.

The cap of the container is coupled to a ring which synchronously moves when the container is opened or closed. This ring features a prolongation in the shape of palette which is used to press the ampoule when the cap is moved. If the container has not been used, the ampoule is filled with ink. Once the cap of the device moves, the palette also moves making the ampoule to expel the ink on a capillary formed in the nozzle of the container, such that in the nozzle there is a visible ink mark indicating that the cap has been already opened.

The ink remains in the capillary and cannot be removed since this is formed in a double wall inside the nozzle. In this regard, the content of the container cannot be tampered since so as to clean the ink it is necessary to break the bottle or to break the seals.

One advantage of the device of the present invention, is that the content of the container at any time contacts the ink, whether the container is opened or unopened. When the container has not been opened, the inner seal isolates the ink ampoule from the nozzle, preventing thereby the contamination of the content by accidental breakings of the ampoule.

One the container is open, the content of the ampoule is emptied into the capillary. The ink remains in the capillary and does not contact the content of the container either, since it remains isolated from the inside by a glass or plastic wall which is formed inside the nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The relevant aspects and the advantages of the present invention will be better understood with relation to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, which comprises a capillary element.

FIG. 2 shows the extruded scheme of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, with one capillary element.

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, which comprises two capillary elements.

FIG. 4 shows the extruded scheme of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, with two capillary elements.

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, which comprises a circular capillary element.

FIG. 6 shows the extruded scheme of the device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, with a circular capillary element.

FIG. 7A and 7 b. Side and upper views of the nozzle with one curved capillary towards the left. 7 b. Side and upper views of the nozzle with one curved capillary towards the right.

FIG. 8 Plane of the manufacture mold for the nozzle with only one capillary.

FIG. 9 Plane of the manufacture mold for the nozzle with two capillaries.

FIG. 10 Plane of the manufacture mold for the nozzle with circular capillary.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device for preventing the tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material of the present invention, is formed by a sealing system which couples to the nozzle of the container allowing the users to have a greater certainty about the content of the bottle. The shape and geometry of the system and its parts can be seen in the drawings accompanying the following description.

In FIG. 1, the arrangement of the system with only one capillary is shown. The device comprises a container cap (1), having a half ring-shaped piece (2) adhered thereto, coupled to another half ring-shaped piece (5). Both pieces move on the outer seal (4). The half-ring piece (5) features a protuberance in the form of a palette (6), this palette moves along with the cap between the outer seal (4) and the inner seal (7). Similarly, in the space formed between both seals, an ampoule (8) of ink is disposed, which is held on a support and pressure piece (9).

The inner seal (7) is coupled to the container nozzle (10). In the wall of the nozzle a double wall or capillary cavity (11) is formed, wherein the ink is received once the container has been opened. In this case, the capillary features a straight cylindrical shape.

FIG. 2 shows in detail the pieces forming the device of the present invention. Primarily, we have the cap (1) which is preferably made in plastic and comprising an inner thread which is coupled to the thread (3) disposed on the outer seal (4) of the device.

On the inner edge of the cap (1), a half ring-shaped piece (2) is fixed thereto. This piece rotates with the cap on the support formed on the outer seal (4) and at the same time it makes the other half ring (5) to rotate in the same direction and at the same rotation speed as the cap (3).

The outer seal (4) is a tubular piece comprising two parts: a thread (3) for adjusting the cap (1), and a tubular body with larger diameter which is fixed to the outer part of the nozzle, avoiding thereby that the inner mechanisms of the safety device are adulterated or tampered. The outer seal (4) features a rail with a channel (12) which allows the passage of the palette (6). The two halves of the ring (2) and (5) move in a rotational manner on this rail.

The half ring (5) is coupled to the part (2) such that when opening the cap (1) a movement on this piece over the outer seal (4) is generated, this ring comprising a palette (6) which passes through the outer seal (4), this palette (6) also rotates with the radial movement of the cap (1) pressing the ampoule (8) against the support (9).

Inside the outer seal (4), an inner safety seal (7) is located. This part is composed by a tubular shaped plastic seal which goes from the thread of the cap (3) to the nozzle (11). Its main function is to protect the ink ampoule and to separate it from the inner part wherein the product of the company is located so the chemical ink located inside the ampoule in case of a manufacturing mistake and the reactant leaves its package, it does not alter the chemical composition of the product. This seal can be formed from several tubes of different diameters, when the diameters of the thread (3) and the nozzle (11) are different.

The ampoule (8) has as a main function to store the ink, this element is located between the outer (4) and inner (7) seals. The latter isolates the ampoule in a complete manner from the inner part of the bottler where the product is located, while the outer seal (4) isolates it from the outer part. The ampoule has in its inner part a valve connecting the inner part of the ampoule with the capillary (10). When the ampoule is pressed between the palette (6) and the support (9), the valve opens and the ink is poured inside the capillary (10).

The ampoule is supported on a support (9) which contains the ampoule so the palette (6) can press it, for this, the support having generally an annular shape, has a perpendicular protuberance which retains the ampoule so the palette generates enough pressure to break the valve so the ink can go down the capillary (10).

The capillary (10) is formed as a blown onto the nozzle (11) which is made to the thickness of the glass working as a double wall. The volume of the tube is similar to the same volume of the ampoule so the ink contained in the ampoule goes down completely to the bottom of the tube.

On another embodiment of the invention, two diametrically opposed capillaries are located, such that two marks of ink are achieved once the bottle is opened. FIG. 3 shows the diagram of the second embodiment, which basically comprises the same elements above mentioned, but it is differenced from the first embodiment in that on the nozzle (11) two capillaries (10) are formed instead of just one. These are preferably located diametrically opposed, i.e. at 180°, however other locations can be used since the structure allows it.

The presence of two capillaries requires of two ampoules, each adjacent to each capillary. This makes it necessary for the pressure mechanism of the ampoule, to be replicated for the second capillary. For this, FIG. 4 shows that on the ring (2) of the cap (1), a second palette (6) is disposed, this palette passes through the outer seal (4) over a second groove (12). Similarly, on the annular support (9) a second perpendicular protuberance is disposed, which retains the second ampoule (8). As can be noted, all this mechanism is disposed diametrically opposed to the original mechanism with only one capillary.

In this embodiment, the half ring (5) remains unchanged, just like the inner seal (7). Other embodiments with multiple capillaries can be structured, for example if 4 making points are required, 4 capillaries (10) located at 90° to each other can be formed on the glass of the nozzle (11), preferably. In this case, 4 palettes (6) are required, two of them located on the ring (2) of the cap (1), and the other two are located on the half ring (5). Similarly, 4 grooves (12 would be required on the inner seal (4) and 4 protuberances on the annular support piece (9). Following this methodology, n amount of capillaries (10) which are to be required on the nozzle (11), can be located.

In another embodiment, the capillary is formed on the entire periphery of the nozzle (11) of the bottle. FIG. 5 shows that the capillary (10) now has a circular shaped formed as a complete groove on the glass of the nozzle. In this case, the entire nozzle is impregnated with ink once the cap of the container is opened.

The mechanism for injecting ink is similar to the mechanism used for the embodiment described for only one capillary. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the cap (1), the outer seal (4), the inner seal (7), the half ring (5) and the annular support (9), remain unchanged. The difference of this embodiment is based on the fact the once the pressure is exerted on the valve of the ampoule (8), the content thereof is uniformly poured on the entire periphery of the nozzle (11), which results in a more noticeable indication for the user.

Other embodiments can use nozzles (11) with capillaries having different shapes. For example, FIG. 7a shows a nozzle (11) with a capillary (10) which is curved towards the left. Similarly, FIG. 7b shows the nozzle (11) but in this case the capillary (10) is made curved towards the right. In this case, the drive mechanism is the same as the mechanism defined in the FIGS. 1 and 2. Likewise, nozzles with multiple curved capillaries towards the left, the right or combinations thereof can be formed. In the case of multiple capillaries, the structure is similar to the one previously exposed with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The nozzle is made through the process of casting using a mold preferably with rotational geometry. FIG. 8 shows the views of the mold (13) used to manufacture the nozzle with only one capillary. In this case, the mold comprises a pin (14) which is molded perpendicular to the surface of the mold such that when pouring the plastic or glass material, the pin establishes the space of the capillary.

FIG. 9 shows the planes of a mold (13) which comprises two pins (14) such that the nozzle formed in this case comprises two capillaries. The location of the pins may vary and as can be seen, the number of pins desires can be incorporated in order to obtain the number of capillaries desired.

FIG. 10 shows the scheme of the mold (13) for the nozzle with circular capillary. In this case, instead of molding pins on the mold, a circular ring (15) perpendicular to the surface of the mold (13) is used. Similarly, when forming the nozzle, the ring (15) establishes a space in the nozzle on which the ink will be poured once the bottle is opened.

It is considered not necessary to be more extensive with the description since so that those skilled in the art understand the scope and advantages of the invention. The materials, shape, size and disposition of the elements will be susceptible of variation as long as it does not suppose alteration in the essential shape of the invention. All the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. All publications, patent applications and patents and other referenced mentioned herein, are incorporated entirely by reference. 

1. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, which is formed by a cap, a nozzle, a seals system coupled to the nozzle and at least one capillary, the system characterized in that the cap of the container (1) is coupled to an outer seal (4) by a thread (3) disposed on the upper part of the seal; a second inner safety seal (7) is coupled on the thread (3) of the seal (4), this seal is formed by a tubular-shaped plastic seal which goes from the thread of the cap (3) to the nozzle (119; the cap of the container as adhered thereto a half ring-shaped piece (2) which is coupled to another half ring piece (5), this piece features a protuberance in the form of a palette (6) which is disposed between the outer seal (4) and an inner seal (7); the outer seal (4) features a surface where the annular pieces (2) and (5) are located, on this surface a rail with a channel (12) is disposed which allows the passage of the palette (6), the seal has a tubular body with greater diameter which is fixed to the outer part of the nozzle of the bottle; adjacent to the palette (6) an ink ampoule (8) is disposed, located on an annular support piece (9) and retained by the perpendicular protuberance of the annular support (9) and the palette (6), the ampoule having in its lower part a valve connecting the ampoule and the capillary (10), which is formed as a double wall tubular cavity on the nozzle (11).
 2. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein the inner seal (7) is formed from several tubes with different diameters which match with the diameters of the thread (3) and the nozzle (11), and wherein the volume of the capillary (10) is similar to the volume of the ampoule.
 3. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (11) comprises two diametrically opposed capillaries, which are located on the periphery of the nozzle preferably at 180° to each other, wo ampoules each adjacent to each capillary and disposed on an annular support (9) comprising two perpendicular protuberances each disposed to retain an ampoule, and therein the nozzle (11) also may comprise multiple capillaries disposed on its periphery; the system comprising a number of ampoules and palettes which is the same as the number of capillaries, wherein the palettes are distributed in an equal number on the rings (2) and (5); likewise, the annular support features a number of protuberances which is the same as the number of capillaries.
 4. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein a second palette (6) is disposed on the ring (2) of the cap (1) and wherein this palette passes through the outer seal (4) through a second groove (12).
 5. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (11) comprises a circular capillary formed as a complete groove formed on the entire periphery of glass of the nozzle.
 6. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (11) comprises a capillary (10) which is curved towards the left, and wherein also the nozzle (11) may comprise a capillary (10) which is curved towards the right.
 7. A system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (11) comprises multiple capillaries curved towards the left, towards the right or combinations thereof.
 8. A method for the manufacturing of the nozzles (11) of a system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a circular mold for the nozzle with rotational geometry, locating a perpendicular pin on the surface of the mold, pouring liquid plastic or glass material on the mold, removing the mold, wherein on the mold two or more pins perpendicular to the surface thereof are located, and a circular ring (15) perpendicular to the surface of the mold is located.
 9. A method for assembling a cap for a system for preventing tampering and re-packaging of containers made of glass, plastic or other material, the method comprising the steps of: coupling the cap (1) to the half ring piece (5), introducing the palette (6) of ring (5) into the groove (12) of the outer seal (4), coupling an outer seal (4) with a second inner safety seal (7), locating an ink ampoule (8) on an annular support piece (9) in the space formed between the outer safety (4) and inner (7) seals, supporting the ampoule with the palette (6) of the ring (5), coupling the nozzle (11) of the container inside the outer seal (4), connecting the valve of the ampoule (8) to the capillary (10) of the nozzle (11), sealing the system. 